Nawanshahr police neutralise gangster Varinder Singh in fierce encounter

The Nawanshahr police neutralised a gangster in a fierce encounter near Balachaur in SBS Nagar on Saturday. Varinder Singh, a resident of Pandori village in the Tarn Taran district, was wanted in several heinous cases, including the Zadla grenade attack and the murder of Yuvraj Singh, the sarpanch of Cheema Khurd village.

According to police officials, Singh had deep links with the notorious gangster network led by Manu and Gopi and was actively involved in violent crimes across Punjab. Intelligence inputs indicated his movement in the Balachaur area, prompting the police to set up a checkpoint. When signalled to stop, Singh allegedly opened fire at the police party in a bid to escape. The officers retaliated swiftly, triggering a brief but intense exchange of gunfire.

During the encounter, Singh sustained critical bullet injuries and was rushed to Civil Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Senior officers, including DIG Satinder Singh and SSP Nawanshahr Mehtab Singh Virk, reached the spot to oversee the situation.

DIG Singh stated that the operation was a major success in the ongoing crackdown on gangsters operating with the backing of Pakistan’s ISI and handlers based abroad. “The accused was a wanted criminal who had been spreading terror in the region,” he said. “Today’s encounter is part of our sustained campaign to dismantle networks of hard-core criminals and restore peace in Punjab.”

The police seized a motorcycle, a pistol, and several empty cartridges from the site, confirming the exchange of fire. Investigations are underway to trace the larger network of associates and establish any recent plans of disruption that Singh may have been involved in.

The elimination of Varinder Singh is expected to deliver a serious blow to gang operations in the Doaba region, where his presence had been a constant source of fear. The police have intensified patrolling and intelligence surveillance to prevent any retaliatory activities.